Strap pets in for safety -- theirs and yours

Metro Services

Monday

Mar 17, 2014 at 12:01 AMMar 17, 2014 at 12:15 AM

Most drivers would not allow a 40-pound unsecured weight to ricochet around the interior of their vehicles. Passengers and cargo are typically strapped in for safety. But if a driver is driving with an unsecured pet in his or her car, he or she could be putting everyone in the car at risk.

The law states that children and adults should be buckled up when riding in a car.

The same regulations do not always pertain to pet passengers, although some experts think they should. According to Christina Selter, the founder of California-based pet advocacy group Bark Buckle Up, pets can be very dangerous inside of a vehicle if they are not secured. A 60-pound Golden Retriever can hit you with 2,700 pounds of force in a 35 mile-per-hour crash. However, that's not the only danger. A dog or cat that is allowed to roam freely inside a car can pose a distraction to the driver, potentially impeding a driver's line of vision or inadvertently bumping into the gear shift. A small animal could get down into the foot well on the driver's side and impede operation of the brakes or accelerator.

In addition to the passengers and driver in the car, an unsecured pet poses a danger to itself. A dog or cat that is propelled through the car in a crash or sudden stop can risk injury or death. Even simply bumping noses on the dashboard or a seat can be very painful to the animal. There are other reasons why the pet should be tethered in the car.

* A belt or tether secures the animal and prevents it from hanging its head out of the window, where any small speck of flying debris can cause a serious injury to the pet's eyes or nose. It's important to keep the pet's entire body inside of the moving vehicle.

* A harness will prevent a dog or cat from physically jumping out of the vehicle. If a squirrel or other distraction arouses interest outside, the pet is unable to pursue it.

* In the event of an accident, a pet seatbelt will keep the animal contained until emergency workers can assess the situation. A frightened or injured pet may scratch or bite. Having an excited animal on the loose can make rescue dangerous.

* When wearing a harness, the pet doesn't have to work as hard bracing itself while the car is maneuvering. The harness will keep it secure.

There are many ways to secure pets in a motor vehicle. An animal crate that is belted down is one option, and a pet may be comfortable riding in a familiar crate and feel more secure as a result.

For smaller dogs or cats, consider a pet booster seat that straps in with the vehicle's safety belt. Some drivers have used children's booster seats with a pet harness.

Harnesses that work with safety belts are also available. These can keep the pet in a sitting or lying-down position.

Securing pets in the car ensures the driver's safety and the safety of the passengers as well as the health of the pet going for a ride.

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